Prepayment gas-meter.



No.s6o,94o; IPatnfed 061.30, |900.

.1. zANnEn.

`PREPIIYMEINT GAS METER.

(Application med oct. 1e, lase.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

l II'IIII Sw mm u 'I III' I i k Q nlIIIIII I JM/7 Zanden Patented Oct. 30, |900.

No. 660,940'. J. zAN-nEn.

PBEPAYMENT GAS METER.

(Application niedoct. 1e, 1699.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2;

THE Nonms PETERS o0., PMcn'Q-IJTND.A WASHINGTON. n, cy

' No. 660,940. Patented oct. 3o, who.` J. zAum-zn.

PBEPAYMENT'GS METER.'

V (Application med oet. 16, 1899.; (N o M o d e l 4S-heets-Sheet 3.

7 /////////1l///////////l ////Illlllllllllllllllllllw` No. 660,940. Pafentd oct. so, |900. J. ZANDER. PREPAYMENT GAS METER.

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.ATENT i Erice.

JOHN ZANDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

PREPAYNI ENT GAS-M ETER;

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part of Letters' Patent No. 660,940, dated oat-iler 3o, 1906.

Application and october 16, 1899. semi No. 733.751. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I', JOHN ZAND'ER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Prepayment Gas-Meters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a coin-controlled 4mechanism which can be applied to an ordinary gas-meter, so that by depositing one or more coins of a given denomination the mechanism can be set so as to permit the quantity of gas thus paid for in advance to flow through the meter; and the invention consists in the several parts and combinations of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, Fign re lis a side elevation of an ordinary gas meter, showing my invention in coin controlled mechanism applied thereto; Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the parts shown in Fig. l with the top of the meter removed; Fig. 3, a sectional elevation on the dotted lines 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the directionl of the arrow and showing only the coin-controlled mechanism; Fig. 4L, a detailv of the movable gear and the registeringpointer`; Fig. 5, a sectional eleva-tion on line 5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow, showing the movable gear and the registering-pointer; Fig. 6,`a 'sectional elevation on line of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the driving shaft and gear driven from the meterregistershaft; Fig. 7, a sectional elevation on line 7 of Fig. 3 Iookingin the direction of the arrow; Fig. a sectional elevation on line 8 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 9, a detail in section on line 9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10, a sectional elevation on line 10 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 11, adetail of the cam-plate of Fig. l0; Fig. l2, a sectional elevation on line l2 of Fig. 3 looking' in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 13, a sectional elevation on line 13 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 14, a sectional elevation on line 14 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 15 a perspective view of the levers actuated by the cams for releasing the parts so as to set'the mechanism..v

My invention is applicable to an ordinary gas-meter, embodying in its construction an outer casing A, an induction-pipe A' for conland well-known form of construction and operation forsuch parts. The onlychange from an ordinary gas-rn'eteris in providing the shaft ct of t-he register with a worm-gearo.' to engage with a gear a2 on a cross-shaft for a purpose hereinafter described.

The coin-controlled mechanism is located in a casing B, having its back, both ends, and one side formed integral, if so desired, and having a front B', capable of removal, and a side B2, detachably secured in place by screws b2 or otherwise. Ahinged door BSis provided below t-he side B2 for access to the interioi1 of the casing, which door, as shown, has a slot for the passage of a lug or staple b3 on the front of the casing, so that by inserting the haspof a suitable lock through the lug the door can be locked and the casing entirely closed against admission thereinto except by the one having the key for the lock.

A wall C, having a coin chtite or passage o, is att-ached tothe side B2 of the casing in connection with a plate D, whichplate on its rear face has an annular chamber DC The wall C may be attached to the plaie D by screws passing through Hanges on the inner edge of the wall, as shown in. Fig. 7, and the plate may be attached to the side B2 by screws passing through lugs on the plate, as shown in Fig. 7. The wall C has a hole for the passage of a shaft E at one side of the coin channel or chute, and this shaft is cut away on one side,

so as to have a flat face forming an opening c for the shaft in line with the coin-channel when the parts are in normal position, as shown in Fig. 7. The outer end of the shaft has attached thereto by a screwthreaded stem e a disk or headV E', so that b turnin the head the shaft can be rotated.

The shaft E passes through the plate or side B2 of the casing, and on the shaft between the casing-plate and the plate D and within the chamber D is aguard-plate F, connected with the shaft by a slot f in the plate, which en- TOO gages a pin e on the shaft, so that the rotation of the shaft rotates the plate. The guardplate has a projecting portion forming an incline or cam face f and terminating in an end 0r tongue f2, having an inward bend, so as to lie within an annular channel]Es in the plate B2. The guard-plate adjacent to the end f2 has a recess or notch f4 cut into its periphery, which recess or notch is of a sufficient depth to clear the end ot' a coin-slot d in the plate B2, which slot lines with the coin channel or chute c, and the plate D also has a coinslot d in line with the channel c and the slot d', so as to furnish an uninterrupted passage for a coin through the channel and coin-slots when the guard-plate is in the position shown in Fig. 8, with its recess f4 in line with the coin-slots, the guard-plate obstructing the passage of a coin except the recess is in line by closing the upper ends of the coin-slot as the plate rotates. The end or tongue]c2 prevents backward rotation of the guard-h plate after a coin has passed through the slot tl with its rear edge still in the slot, and this end or tongue, in connection with the incline or cam face f', with the forward rotation of the plate by engaging the edge of the coin will insure the deposit of the coin in case of the sticking of a coin from any cause in the slot, which would prevent its natural deposit by gravity.

On the inner face of the plate B2 is an annulail wall G, and on the shaft E within the chamber formed by this wall is a plate or flange e2, and on the shaft between the flange and the plate B2 is a ratchet e3, engaged by a gravity or other form of pawl e4, so as to prevent backward rotation of the shaft. The flange or rim e2 has pivoted thereto a lever H and a lever I, both levers swinging or oscillating on a common pivot h2. The lever H has an arm h and an arm h', and the arm h is bentl inward, so as to stand in a different plane from the arm h. The lever I has an arm and an arm t', both in the same plane and parallel with the plane of the arm h' of the lever H. The arm h and the arm t" are in a plane with a lateral slot g in the wall G, and transverse of this slot in the wall is a slot (Z2 in line with the slot d' for the passage of the coin into the slot d2 for its edge to lie across the slot g to be engaged by the edges of the arms h and t" of the levers H and I.

The arm h is outside of the plane of the slot g and in line with the under face of a pawl J, so as to strike such face and raise the pawl when the arm h' of the lever engages.

the edge of the coin and raises the arm h. The pawl J enters an opening g in the edge of the annular wall G and has a pinj on its inner face. The pawl is pivoted by a suitable pin or pivotj2 and has a nose or p'oint'j', which when the pawl is down rests on the wall G, and the pawl is returned after being raised by a springj, which spring also holds the pawl against being raised except. by the contact of the arm h with its under face.

The pinj projects over the edge of a plate K, so as to engage a notch 7c on such plate and hold the plate against rotation from the shaft E until the pin is raised from the notch by the raising of the pawl from the arm h. The plate K is cut away at one side, so as to leave an edge 7c', which will clear the coin-slot d? when the plate is in position for the cut-away edge t' t0 be transversely over the slot.

The plate K is formed with or rigidly se cn red to a shaft L, which shaft has an end Z' entering into a socket in the end ot' the shaft E, so as to form ajournal for the shaft. The plate has on its face a lug k2, which is engaged by a pin t? on the lever I when such lever is held in a raised position by the engagement of its arm i with the edge of a coin in the slot d2 for the lever as itis rotated by the shaft E to revolve the shaft L through the engagement of the pin i2 and lug k2. The rotation will continueone complete revolution or until the pinj again drops into the notch 7c, the pin having been released from the notch just prior to the engagement of the pin t2 and lug 7a2, leaving the plate K free to be revolved.

The edge of the plate except at the cntaWa-y portion overlies the coin-slot, and the coin will thus be held in the slot during the revolving of the plate K until the cut-away edge 7c comes over the slot, when the coin is free to drop from the slot by gravity-and pass into the coin-receptacle or other place of deposit, and with the release of the coin from the slot the continued revolution of the shaft E carries the levers around, so that the arms or ends h and t" can again drop into the slot g, disengaging the plate K from the lever I and locking the plate with the pawl J until the introduction of the next coin to again release and connect the parts for another operation.

The shaft L has ascrew-thread Z, which engages a screw-thread m on the hub of an elongated gear M, which gear meshes with a worm M on a shaft la', which worm has a pinion N meshing with a gear N' on a shaft O, passing through a suitable stuffing-box on the casing of the meter and connecting with a shaft O" within the body of the meter by means of a pin n and a slot fn' or in any other yieldable manner, and, as shown, the engagement is maintained by means of a spring o around the shaft O and between the pin a and the pin o on the shaft. This connection permits the shaft O to be moved inward, so as to disengage the gear N from the pinion N and allow the meterregister to be turned back when so desired. The shaft O has thereon the gear a2, which meshes wit-h the worm ct on the shaft a of the meter-register, so that with the operation of the meter-register the shaft O' will be rotated, rotating the shaft O and through the gear N and pinion N operate the worm to advance the gear M on the shaft L from its receded position.

The elongated gear M is receded on the IOO IZO

shaft L by the screw-threads Z and' m and the rotation of' the shaft through the means already described by the insertion of a coin in thecoin channel or chute, and the length of recession will depend upon the number of coins deposited, each deposited coin enabling the gear to be receded a given distance. A pointer P is mounted on a pin Pfor its end to coact With a scale P2, located in line with a sight-opening b in` the front of the casing, which opening` may be protected by a glass b or otherwise. The pointer is engaged With a rirn or flange Q on one end of the elongated gear by a slotted head or pin p, so that with the receding movement of the gear the pointer Will be advanced, and its end will indicate on the scale the number of coins deposited, for which purpose the scale is provided with spaces, each space indicating the deposit of one piece of money. The flange or rim Q engages a rocking arm or lever R, connected at one end with the stem S of a valve. The lever has a notch r to receive the edge of the disk or ange at the terminal of the return of the gear for the engagement to raise the arm or leverand close the valve, the valve being opened by the passage of the rim out of the notch and along the under face of the lever. The valve T, carried bythe stem S, closes a port u between a passage U and a passage U in acasin g V, the two passages being separated by a. partition u', having the port therein. The passage U communicates with the opening of a coupling Vf3 for attachment to the street service-pipe, and the meter service-pipe is attached so as to communicate with the passage U. The casing Vis attached to the top of the casing B by a neck V', in which is a stuffing-box S for the passage of the valve-stein S, so as to prevent, leakage of gas around the stem into the coinactuating mechanism. A removable receptacle W for the deposited coin may be provided at the bottom of the casing.

The operation is as follows: With the parts in their normal position and without a coin in the coin channel or chute the rotation of the shaft E does not affect the actuating means of the controlling-valve, as the two levers H and I drop into the slot g, preventing the disengagement of the plate K from the holding-pawl and also preventing the engagemen t of the lever I with the plate K. The deposit of a quarter or such other denomination of coin asthe chute is adapted to receive and transmit, for the coin to pass down the channel and through the coin-slots to lie across the slot g in position for the arms 77,' and t" of the levers H and l to engage the edge of the coin with the rotation of the shaft E and operate the levers to disengage the plate K from the pawl J and engage the plate K with the leverl, permittingthe rotation of the shaft E to rotate the shaft L and recede the elongated gear M. The receding of the gear operates the pointer, through the engagement of the head or pin p with the flange or rim on the gear, to indicate the num# ber ot' coins deposited. This receding movement also operates the rocking arm or lever, the end thereof engaged by the rim or flange and depressing the opposite end, drawing down the valvestem, and opening t-he valve for the admission of gas through the passages U and U from the street service-pipe into the meter. The gas' will continue to How until the number of feet paid for by thedeposited coin has been reached, at which time the elongated gear has been returned to its normal position through the operation of the register A3 and the shaft and gearing connect ing such register with the gear. The return of theV gear to its norznal position causes the flange or rim to engage the edge of the rocking arm or lever at the notch and raise the stem end ofthe rocking arm or lever and the valve-stem to close the supply-valve between the chambers U and U/ and shut ott the gas. Each deposit of a coin produces an engagement for the rotation of the shaft L to open the supply-valve; but after the coin leaves the holding-slot and one complete revolution of the levers has been made no further receding movement of the elongated gear can v take place until another coin has been deposited. It is to be understood that a single coin can be deposited, or a number of coins one after another can be deposited, each deposit being after one complete revolution for the preceding coin has been made,the deposit of each coin permitting the operation ot' the shaft. to recede the elongated gear. ditional deposit will not effect a further opening of Ihesupply-valve other than the opening had b v the first coin, as with the deposit of the first coin the rocking lever or arm is operated toits full extent for opening the supply-valve. The shaft E, located to one side of the coin chute or channel, prevents the withdrawal of a coin after it has been deposited and before an operation has been had, because with the turning of the shaft to produce the operation the opening c' thereof' is carried away from its alinement with the coin channel or chute, closing the channel or chute and preventing any withdrawal of the coin. The coin does not drop through the slot in which it is held until the levers have been operated, at which time the plate F has passed over the rear edge ot' the coin and presents a solid face against any back- Each ad- IOO IIO

ward withdrawal until the plate has made a complete revolution for the recess therein to.

aline with the coin-slots, before which time the incline or cam face will have struck the edge of the coin in case the coin does not drop natnrallyand force itin ward and out of the coin-slot. 'lhe coin is held in the slot until after it has operated the levers by the edge of the plate K and remains so held until the cur-away portion la' comes to a point where a clear passageis left for the coin to drop from the slot. any withdrawal of a deposited coin is pre- It will thus be seen thatA y vented after once deposited, and no operation can occur until a coin has been deposited to actuate 'the levers, making the operation dependent solely on the deposit of a proper coin.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-channel, a revoluble shaft overlying the coin-channel and having one side cut away to form an opening to aline with the channel, and a guard-plate carried by the shaft and crossing the mouth of the coin-channel, substantially as described.

2. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-channel, a revoluble shaft. overlying the coin-channel and having one side cut away to form an opening to aline with the channel, a guard-plate carried by the shaft and having a projecting portion provided with a cam or inclined edge and a depressed end or tongue to overlie the mouth of the coin-channel and a recess to aline with the coin-channel, substantially as described.

3. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-channel, a plate having an annular chamber on its inner face and a coinslot,a revoluble shaft overlying the coin-chanu nel and having one side cut away to form an opening to aline with the channel, and a guard-plate carried by the shaft and located within the annular chamber and provided with a projecting portion havinga cam or incline edge and a depressed end or tongue crossing the mouth of the channel, and a recess in line with the coin-channel, substantially as described.

4. In a prepayment gasmeter, the combination of a coin-channel, a plate having an annular chamber on its face, and provided with a coin-slot in line with the coin-channel, a second plate having on its outer face an annular groove or recess and provided with a slot in line with the coin-channel, a revoluble shaft overlying the coinchannel and having one side cut away to form an opening to aline with the channel, a guard-plate carried by the shaft and located in the annular chamber and having a projecting portion with a cam or incline edge, and a depressed end or tongue entering the annular channel or recess, and a recess in line with the coin-slots of the two plates when in normal position, substantially as described.

5. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a revoluble shaft, an annular Wall within the casing of the mechanism, a triplever and an engaging lever both carried by the shaft and revoluble within the annular wall, substantially as described.

b. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a revolnble shaft, an annular wall within the casing of the mechanism, a lateral slot in the wall, a trip-lever having a trip arm and an arm entering the lateral slot, and an engaging lever having an engaging arm and an arm entering the lateral slot, both levers carried by the shaft and operating Within the annular \vall,substantially as described.

7. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-channel, a revoluble shaft overlying the coin-channel and having one side cut away to form an opening to aline with the channel, an annular wall within the casing of the mechanism, a lateral slotin the Wall, a trip-lever having a trip-arm and an arm entering the lateral slot, and an engag ing lever having an engaging arm and an arm entering the lateral slot, both levers carried by the shaft and operating within the annular Wall, substantially as described.

8. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-channel, a revoluble shaft overlying the coin-channel and having one side cut away to form an opening to aline with the channel, a guard-plate carried by the shaft, an outer and inner plate between which the guard-plate is located, the outer and inner plates each having a slot to aline with the channel, au annular Wall Within the casing of the mechanism, a lateral slot in the Wall, a transverse slot in the Wall in line with the coin-slots of the plates, a trip-lever hav ing a trip-arm and an arm entering the lateral slot, and an engaging lever having an engaging arm and an arm entering the lateral slot, both levers carried by the shaft and operating within the annular wall, substantially as described.

9. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin controlling and coin coutrolled outer revoluble shaft, a revolu ble inner shaft having a serew-thread thereon and actuated from the coin controlling and controlled outer shaft, an elongated gear movable by and on the screw-thread of the inner shaft, a flange or rim on the gear and a rocking arm or lever contacted by the flange or rim and operated by the travel of the gear for opening and closingthe gas-supply valve to a gas-meter, substantially as described.

10. In a prepayment gasmeter, the combination of a coin -controlling and coin-controlled outer revoluble shaft, a revoluble in` ner shaft having a screw-thread thereon and actuated from the coin controlling and controlled outer shaft, an elongated gear movable by and on the screw-thread of the inner shaft, a flange or rim on the gear, a rocking arm or lever contacted by the fiange or rim and operated by the travel of the gear, and a valve-stem pivotally connected with the rocking arm or lever and provided with a valve, for the movement of the rocking arm or lever to open and close the port of a gas-supply passage toagas-meter,substantially as described.

IOO

IOS

IIO

IZO

ll. In a prepayment gas-meter the combination of a coin-controlling and coin-controlled outer revoluble shaft, a revoluble inner shaft having a screw-thread thereon and actuated from the coin controlling and controlled shaft, an elongated gear movable by and on the screw-thread of the inner shaft, a flange or rim on the gear, a rocking arm or lever contacted by the flange or rim and operated by the travel of the gear, a valve-stem, a valve on the stem, a gas-induction passage, a gas-eduction passage, and a port between the passages opened and closed by the valve from the movements of the rocking arm or lever,

substantially as described.

12. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-controlling and coin-controlled outer revoluble shaft, an inner revoluble shaft having a screw-thread thereon and' actuated from the coin controlling and controlled outershaft, an elongated gear movable by and on the screw-thread of theinner shaft, a worm coacting with the gear, and means for revolving the Worm from the shaft of a gasmeter register and returning the elongated gear to normal position, substantially as de scribed. l

13. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-controlled outer revoluble shaft, an inner revoluble shaft actuated from the coin-controlled outer shaft, an elongated gear movable by and on the inner shaft, a worm coacting with the gear, a pinion on the worm, a gear engaging the pinion, a divided driving-shaft for the gear, a gear on the divided shaft and a worm on the shaft of the gas-meter register for returning the elongated gear with the passage of gas through the meter, substantially as described.

14. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of an outer revoluble shaft having formed therein a portion of a coin-deposit channel for opening and closing the coinchannel by the shaft itself, an inner revoluble shaft actuated from the coin-controlled outer shaft, and a coin-controlled connection between the two shafts for engaging' and disengaging the shafts with the deposit of a coin, substantially as described.

I5. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-controlling audcoin-controlled outer revoluble shaft, an inner revoluble shaft having a screw-thread thereon and actuated from the coin controlling and controlled outer shaft, an elongated gear movable on and by the screw-thread of the inner shaft, a rocking arm or lever actuated by the movable gear and directly operating a valve controlling the gas-passage int-o a gas` meter, and coin-controlled means between the outer and innershafts for connecting and disconnecting the shafts and controlling the supply of gas passing through the meter, substantially as described.

- 16. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin-controlling and coin-controlled outer revoluble shaft, au inner revoluble shaft having a screw-thread thereon and actuated from the coin controlling and controlled outer shaft, an elongated gear movable on and by the screw-thread of the inner shaft, a rocking arm or lever actuated by the movable gear and directly operating a valve controlling thegasspassage into a gasmeter, coin-con trolled means between the two shafts for connecting and disconnecting the shaftsand operating the movable gear, and means for revolving the movable gear from the shaft of a gas-meter register and ret-urning the gear and its cooperating parts to normal position, substantially as described.

17. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combi'- nation of a coin-controlled outer revoluble shaft having its body operating to in and of itself open and closea coin-deposit slot forming a portion of the shaft, a coin-controlled engaging lever carriedv by the shaft, normally inoperative and made operative by engagement with a deposited coin, an innenrevolu-` ble shaft having a screw-thread thereon, a head or disk on the inner shaft engaged and disengaged by the lever of the outer shaft for connecting and disconnecting the two shafts,

an elongated gear movable by and on the screw-thread of the inner shaft, and a rocking arm or lever actuated by the movements of the gear and operating a valve controlling thegas-passageintoagas-meter,substantially as described. l

1S. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin controlling and controlled' outer revoluble shaft,acoincontrolled trip-lever and a coin-controlled outer engaging lever both carried by the outer shaft, au inner revoluble shaft, a head or disk on the inner shaft engaged with and disengaged from the outer shaft through the medium of the coin-controlled levers of the outer shaft, an elongated gear movable by and on the inner shaft, and a rocking arm orlever actuated by the movements of the gear and operating a lever controlling the gas-passage into a gas-meter, substantially as described.

19. In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a coin controlling and controlled outer revoluble shaft, a coin-controlled en' gaging lever, and a coin-controlled trip-lever both carried bythe shaft, an inner revoluble shaft, a head or disk on the inner shaft engaged by the coin-controlled levers of the outer shaft, a pawl engaging the head or disk andv engaged 4by the trip-lever of the outer shaft, an elongated gear movable by and on the inner shaft and a rocking arm or lever actuated by the movements of the gear and operating a valve controlling the gas-passage into a gas-meter, substantially as described.

20.v In a prepayment gas-meter, the combination of a revolu ble shaft, an engaging lever anda trip-lever both carried by the shaft and both normally dropping out of operative position and brought into operative position with theinsertion ofa coin into the coin-channel for its edge to engage the levers, substantially as described.

Jol-1N ZANDER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, THOMAS B.MOGREGOR.

IIO 

